Mounted toy gun



Apil 15, 1958 D. sAKUTA ETAL 2,830,569

MOUNTED TOY GUN Filea'laroh 15. 1956 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J ivi/"m" April 15 1958 D. sAKuTA ETAL 2,830,569

MOUNTED TOY GUN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I III I I I/ll/ A rfo/yffs.

MOUNTED TOY GUN Daniel Sakuta and Raymond J. Lohr, Erie, Ia., assignors to Louis Marx & Company, lne., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 15, 1956, Serial No. 571,698

10 Claims. (Cl. 124-29) This invention relatesto toys, and more particularly to a toy shooting range and an improved gun forming a part of the same. f

ln our copending applications Serial No. 480,649 and Serial No. 480,728, both filed January 10, 1955, we have disclosed a toy shooting range having an enclosed transparent housing to confine the balls or pellets. The bottom of the housing slopes from the target end toward the firing end, and a pistol is pivotally mounted at the firing end. The pistol has a magazine the mouth of which receives the returned pellets or balls as they roll back from the target end. The primary object of the present invention is to generally improve toys of the specified character.

A more particular object is to make such a toy which is less expensive to manufacture and yet which retains the amusement value of the more expensive toy. We have found that children derive parti-cular enjoyment from the rapid repeat lire of the gun, and accordingly a more specilic obje-ct of the invention is to improve the gun with a view to simplicity and economy in manufacture, while maintaining or even increasing its ability for rapid repeat lire.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more particular `objects which will hereinafter appear, our invention resides in the toy shooting range and gun elements, and their relation one to another, as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a toy embodying features of our invention;

Fig. 2 is a view drawn to enlarged scale showing the two halves of the gun body opened out to expose the interior and the mechanism carried thereby;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the gun;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken approximately in the plane of the line 4*-4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through one end of the Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are generally horizontal sectional views explanatory of the `operation of the gun, the sections through the magazine and through the barrel being in somewhat different angul-arly related planes; and

Fig. 9 shows a detail. Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. l, we there show a toy shooting range comprising an enclosed transparent housing 12 having a bottom 14 sloping from the target end 16 toward the firing end 18.

The toy further comprises a pistol 2i) pivotally mounted i ited States Patent O plastic. The bottom 14 and the target end 16 may be made of sheet metal, preferably in one piece, while the firing end 18 is preferably made of a transparent plastic molded integrally with the main part 12 of the housing.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawing, the gun 2(1) comprises a barrel 3:0, a magazine 32 disposed generally collaterally of the barrel 30, and a plunger 34 disposed Ibehind the rear end of the barrel for ejecting a pellet 36 through the barrel. The plunger is actuated by resilient means, preferably a helical spring 38 which is coiled about the rear end of plunger 34. The forward end of spring 38 bears against a collar 40 forming a part of plunger 34, while the rear end of the spring bears against a stationary part 42 of the gun body. The rear end of plunger 34 is slidable through the part 42, and if desired may be enlarged, as shown at 44.

The mechanism further comprises a slidable trigger plate 46 having a trigger portion 48 and -a Sear 50, which, in the present case, is located at the top of but somewhat sidewardly offset from the plate 46. The `sear 50 cooperates with a sidewardly projecting portion of collar 40 to pull the plunger 34 back against the force of the compression spring 38. This is shown by the successive positions 48', `48 of the trigger in Fig. 5, and the successive positions 50', 50 of the scar, as well as the successive positions 44)', 4h of the collar. Fig. 5 also shows an intermediate position 40, 50".

The trigger plate 46 also includes a cam portion 52 depending from its rear end. In the forward position of the trigger plate, best shown in Fig. 2, a part 54 of cam 52 bears against a part S6 of the gun body, thereby insuring ra raised position of sear 50. The location of the trigger portion 4S is such that when the trigger is pulled rearwardly the sear 5t) remains in raised position, as; shownin the successive stages of Fig. 5. However, near the end of the rearward motion of the trigger a pa-rt 5S of cam 52 (Fig. 5) bears against a part 60 of `the gun body, thereby deflecting the trigger plate downward, as shown by the broken line position 52". At this time the sear 50 is pulled down slightly, as shown at 50". This releases the plunger for abrupt forward movement, and propulsion of the pellet 36 out of the barrel of the gun.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawing, it will be seen that the magazine 32 is disposed collaterally of the barrel 30 when viewed in plan. However, by reference to Fig. 5 of the drawing it will be seen that the magazine 32 is disposed at an angle to the barrel 30 when viewed in elevation. This angle is such that the muzzle end of the magazine is just below the barrel, while the breech end of the magazine is alongside of, and opens sidewardly into the barrel. It is preferred to keep the muz zle end of the magazine below the barrel in order to readily receive and accept the balls flowing back along the bottom 14 of the housing, as shown in Fig. 5. Also, elevation of the barrel 30 prevents the returning balls from interfering with the balls leaving the muzzle of the barrel. Moreover, with the arrangement here shown the muzzle end of the magazine may be widened to come beneath as well as alongside the barrel. This is shown in Fig. 3, in which the part 64 beneath the barrel 30 represents the enlarged mouth of magazine 32. A sloping guide 66 may be provided to guide the balls sidewardly somewhat into the magazine 32, and this guide 66. is also indicated in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, as well as in that half of the gun body `shown in the lower part of Fig. 2.

It will be understood that the angular disposition of the magazine and barrel (Fig. 5) is such that at the breech end of the magazine it is alongside the barrel. At its rear end the magazine may include a guide 68 (Figs. 2, 6, 7 and 8), for guiding the balls sidewardly into the barrel. When the plunger 34 is in forward position it ar- 3 rests the balls, as shown in Fig. 6. When the plunger is retracted, as shown in Fig. 7, the rearmost ball may roll into the barrel, and it assumes a position in front of the retracted plunger 34.

The remaining balls in the magazine are held against movement toward the barrel by a blade 70, which is carried by and may be formed integrally with the trigger plate. The movement of this blade is shown by the change from the broken line position 70 (Fig. 5) to the solid line position 70. Its movement is also shown by comparison of Figs. 6, 7 and 8.

The blade 70 preferably is designed to fulfill the additional purpose of insuring movement of the rearmost ball from the magazine into the barrel. For this purpose the leading edge, and preferably also the trailing edge, of blade 70 is biased or sloped, as is best shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. The disposition of the parts is such that as the plunger 34 moves out of the way of the ball 36 the blade 70 bears against the ball, as shown at 36 in Fig. 7, and continued rearward movement nudges r the ball into ring position. As the gun fires the blade 70 remains in the rearward position shown in Fig. 8, where it blocks the opening between the magazine and the barrel. During return or forward movement of the trigger plate the blade 70 rides past the then rearmost ball in the magazine, and the sloping forward edge of blade 70 facilitates this, as will be clear from inspection of Fig. 8.

The trigger plate is guided in its movement by a trunnion-like projection 72, best shown in Figs. 2 and 5. This may be formed integrally with the trigger plate, which is preferably die cast. The trunnion supports the forward end of the trigger plate, and does not interfere with the downward movement of the sear 50 at the end of the trigger stroke, as previously described in connection with Fig. 5.

The barrel 30 includes a guide rail 74. This is located halfway between the top and bottom of the barrel and helps guide the propelled ball with a minimumof friction.

The gun body is preferably molded out of a suitable plastics material. It is molded in two halves, which are subsequently secured together in edge-to-edge relation, with the mechanical parts of the gun disposed therebetween. The two molded halves are shown in Fig. 2, and one part, in this case the part 80, has dowel pins or locating pins 82, while the other part 84 has'mating holes or sockets 86 to receive the pins 82. The parts 30 and 84 (Fig. 2), as molded, may include the trigger guard 88 and the pistol grip 90. The latter may be given a knurled or roughened surface in simulation of a real gun. The parts 80 and 84 as molded preferably include depending parts 92 and 94 which come together to form a .depending cylindrical stud at the bottom of the muzzle end of the gun, this stud being marked 100 in Figs. l, 3 and 5. The parts 80 and 84 (Fig. 2) also have parts 96 and 98 which come together to form a rounded upwardly projecting stud or stop, marked 102 in Figs. l, 3 and 5.

Referring now to Fig. of the drawing, the stud 100 is received in a hole 104 formed in the bottom 14 of the housing, and this acts as a pivot affording universal movement or aiming of the gun. The gun cannot escape because its upward movement is limited by the opening 106 formed in the firing end 18 of the housing to receive the gun. Upward aiming of the gun is limited by the stop 102 which comes to rest against the end 18 of the housing, as shown in Fig. l. Downward aiming of the gun, that is, the maximum rise of the breech end of the gun, is limited by the opening 106 in the housing, for the top of the barrel of the gun bears against the top of the opening, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing. The opening 106 is, of course, somewhat wider than the barrel portion of the gun so that the gun may be aimed to one side or theother about the pivot or stud 100.

It will be understood that this range of movement of the gun is somewhat more than adequate to cover the entire target end or area 16 of the housing 12.

it is important to note in Fig. 5 that when the breech end of the gun is raised to highest position, the magazine 32 nevertheless slopes downward slightly toward the breech end, and this is true even though the magazine 32 is itself disposed at an upward angle relative to the barrel 30. This arrangement insures rearward ow of the return balls through the magazine toward the breech end of the gun. Of course, the result is related to the angular disposition of the housing 12, as shown in Fig. l, and the rear support 24 is preferably somewhat shorter than the forward support 22, so that the housing is itself in a downward sloping position toward the firing end. The relation then is such that balls may be aimed over Luv Y the entire target area 16.

With the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 the assembly of the mechanical parts of the gun is very simple, it being necessary merely to lay the mechanical parts in position before putting the halves of the gun body together. More specifically, the plunger spring 38 is slipped over the rear end of plunger 34, and the assembly is dropped into position as shown, for the bearings 41 and 4-2 are open bearings, which are open toward the reader. A compression spring 47 is preferably provided to urge the trigger plate 46 to forward position, and this is disposed with its rear end located by parts 81 of the body half 80. The trigger plate 46 is then dropped into position, and it has a socket portion at 49, best shown in Fig. 9, to receive the forward end of trigger spring 47. The part 49 is U-shaped in section, with the open side of the U disposed sidewardly away from the reader, so that it may be dropped in position over the spring 47. The other half 84 of the gun body may then be applied over the metal parts 34, 38, 46 and 47.

The parts and 84 as molded include appropriate openings, tracks and guides for the movable metal parts of the gun mechanism. One example is the guide track 110, 112 (Fig. 2) for the lower edge of the trigger plate 46. Another example is the slot or opening 114 (Figs. 6, 7 and S) for the blade 70. The parts 56 and 60 cooperating with the trigger cam have already been referred to, as well as the open sided bearings 41 and 42 (Fig. 2) for the plunger 34.

lt is believed that the construction and method of assembly and operation of our improved toy, as well as the advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. It will also be apparent that while we have shown and described our invention in a preferred form, changes may be made in the structure shown, without departing from the scope of the invention, as sought to be defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1: A toy gun for rapid repeat fire of pellets, said gun having a straight barrel extending substantially parallel to the top of the gun, a magazine for receiving and supplying a series of pellets singly to said barrel, said magazine forming a part of and being movable with said gun, said magazine being open at its forward end and communicating at its rear end with the rear end of the barrel, said magazine and barrel being disposed side by side when viewed in plan but at an angle when viewed in elevation, ysaid angle being such that the muzzle end of the magazine is below the barrel while the rear end of the magazine is alongside of and open sidewardly to the barrel to feed pellets to the barrel, a pellet ejector and actuating spring therefor disposed at the rear end of the barrel for ejecting a pellet through said barrel, a trigger mechanism having a sear for cooperating with said ejector to pull said ejector back against the force of the spring, and means to disengage the sear from the ejector at the end of the rearward motion of the trigger.

2. vA toy gun for rapid repeat re of pellets, said gun having a straight barrel extending substantially parallel to the top of the gun, a magazine for receiving and supplying a series of pellets singly to said barrel, said magazine forming a part of and being movable with said gun, said magazine being open at its forward end and communicating at its rear end with the rear end of the barrel, said magazine and barrel being disposed side by side when viewed in plan but at an angle when viewed in elevation, said angle being such that the muzzle end of the magazine is below the barrel while the rear end of the magazine is alongside of and open sidewardly to the barrel to feed pellets to the barrel, the muzzle end of said magazine being widened to come beneath as well as alongside the barrel, a plunger and actuating spring therefor disposed behind the rear end of the barrel for ejecting a pellet through said barrel, a trigger mechanism having a sear for cooperating with said plunger to pull said plunger back against the plunger spring, and means to disengage the sear from the plunger at the end of the rearward motion of the trigger.

3. A toy gun for rapid repeat tire of pellets, said gun having a straight barrel extending substantially parallel to the top of the gun, a magazine for receiving and supplying a series of pellets singly to said barrel, said magazine forming a part of and being movable with said gun, said magazine being open at its forward end and communicating at its rear end with the rear end of the barrel, said magazine and barrel being disposed side by side when viewed in plan but at an angle when viewed in elevation, said angle being such that the muzzle end of the magazine is below the barrel while the rear end of the magazine is alongside of and open sidewardly to the barrel to feed pellets to the barrel, a plunger and actuating spring therefore disposed behind the rear end of the barrel for ejecting a pellet through said barrel, a trigger mechanism having a Sear for cooperating with said plunger to pull said plunger back against the plunger spring, said trigger mechanism further having a blade moved thereby and so disposed as to move a pellet sideward from the rear end of the magazine into the barrel and for then blocking the opening between said magazine and barrel, and means to disengage the sear from the plunger at the end of the rearward motion of the trigger.

4. A toy gun for rapid repeat fire of pellets, said gun having a straight barrel extending substantially parallel to the top of the gun, a magazine disposed alongside the barrel for receiving and supplying a series of pellets singly to said barrel, said magazine forming a part of and being movable with said gun, said magazine being open at its forward end near the muzzle end of the gun and communicating at its rear end with the rear end of the barrel, a plunger and actuating spring therefor disposed behind the rear end of the barrel for ejecting a pellet through said barrel, said plunger having a collar, a slidable one-piece trigger plate comprising a trigger portion ,Y

and a sear and a cam and a blade, all of which are immovable relative to one another, said sear being at the top of said plate for cooperating with said collar to pull said plunger back against the force of the plunger spring to a point behind the rearmost pellet in the magazine, said blade being so disposed as to iinish moving a pellet from the rear end of the magazine into the barrel and then blocking the opening between said magazine and barrel, and said cam depending from the rear end of said plate for bearing against an inside part of the pistol for tilting said plate bodily downward to disengage the sear from the collar near the end of the rearward motion of the trigger, and a trigger spring for normally urging the trigge plate bodily forward.

5. A toy gun for rapid repeat fire of pellets, said gun having a straight barrel extending substantially parallel to the top of the gun, a magazine for receiving and supplying a series of pellets singly to said barrel, said magazine forming a part of and being movable with said gun, said magazine being open at its forward end and com- 6 municating at its rear end with the rear end of the barrel, said magazine and barrel being disposed side by side when viewed in plan but at an angle vwhen viewed in elevation, said angle being such that the muzzle end of the magazine is below the barrel while the rear end of the magazine is alongside of and open sidewardly to the barrel to feed pellets to the barrel, a plunger and actuating spring therefor disposed behind the rear end of the barrel for ejecting a pellet through said barrel, said plunger having a collar, a slidable one-piece trigger plate comprising a trigger portion and a sear and a cam and a blade all of which are immovable relative to one another, said sear being at the top of said plate for cooperating with said collar to pull said plunger back against the force of the plunger spring to a point behind the rearmost pellet in the magazine, said blade being so disposed as to finish moving a pellet from the rear end of the magazine into the barrel and for then blocking the opening between said magazine and barrel, and said cam depending from the rear end of said plate for bearing against an inside part of the pistol for tilting said plate bodily downward to disengage the sear from the collar near the end of the rearward motion of the trigger, and a trigger spring for normally urging the trigger plate bodily forward.

6. in combination, a stationary gun mounting, and a gun having its muzzle end pivotally mounted by said gun mounting, said mounting including a bottom surface sloping downward toward the muzzle end ofthe gun in order to feed pellets to the gun, said gun having a straight barrel extending substantially parallel to the top of the gun, a magazine for receiving and supplying a series of pellets singly to said barrel, said magazine forming a part of and being movable with said gun, said magazine being open at its forward end and communicating at its rear end with the rear end of the barrel, said magazine and barrel being disposed side by side when viewed in plan but at an angle when viewed in elevation, said angle being such that the muzzle end of the magazine is below the barrel while the rear end of the magazine is alongside of and open sidewardly to the barrel to feed pellets to the barrel, a pellet ejector and actuating spring therefor disposed at the rear end of the barrel for ejecting a pellet through said barrel, a trigger mechanism having a sear for cooperating with said ejector to pull said ejector back against the force of the spring, and means to disengage the Sear from the ejector at the end of the rearward motion of the trigger, the said pivotal mounting of said gun serving to limit the raising of the rear end of the gun to an amount such that the magazine slopes downward slightly toward the rear end even though the magazine is at an upward angle to the barrel.

7. In combination, a startionary gun mounting, and a gun having its muzzel end pivotally mounted by said gun mounting, said mounting including a bottom surface sloping downward toward the muzzle end of the gun in order to feed pelletsto the gun, said gun having a straight barrel extending substantially parallel to the top of the gun, a magazine forreceiving and supplying a series of pellets singly to said barrel, said magazine forming a part of and being movable with said gun, said magazine being open at its forward end and communicating at its rear end with the rear end of the barrel, said magazine and barrel ,being disposed side by side when viewed in plan but at an angle when viewed in elevation, said angle being such that the muzzle end of the magazine is below the barrel while the rear end of the magazine is alongside of and open sidewardly to the barrel to feed pellets to the barrel, the muzzle end of said magazine being widened to come beneath as well as alongside the barrel, a plunger and actuating spring therefor disposed behind the rear end of the barrel for ejecting a pellet through said barrel, a trigger mechanism having a sear for cooperating with said plunger to pull said plunger back against the plunger spring, and means to disengage the sear from the plunger at the end of the rearward motion of the trigger, the said pivotal mounting of said gun serving to limit the raising of the rear end of the gun to an amount such that the magazine slopes downward slightly toward the'rear end even though the magazine is at an upward angle to the barrel.

8. In combintion, a stationary gun mounting, and a gun having its muzzle end pivotally mounted by said gun mounting, said mounting including a bottom surface sloping downward toward the muzzle end of the gun in order to feed pellets to the gun, said gun having a straight barrel extending substantially parallel to the top of the gun, a magazine for receiving and supplying a series of pellets singly to said barrel, said magazine forming a part of and being movable with said gun, said magazine being open at its forward end and communicating at its rear end with the rear end of the barrel, said magazine and barrel being disposed side by side when viewed in plan but at an angle when viewed in elevation, said angle being such that the muzzle end of the magazine is below the barrel while the rear end of the magazine is alongside of and open sidewardly to the barrel to feed pellets to the barrel, a plunger and actuating spring therefor disposed behind the rear end of the barrel for ejecting a pellet through said barrel, a trigger mechanism having a sear for cooperating with said plunger to pull said plunger back against the plunger spring, said trigger mechanism further having a blade moved thereby and so disposed as to move a pellet sideward from the rear end of the magazine into the barrel and for then blocking the opening between said magazine and barrel, and means to disengage the sear from the plunger at the end of the rearward motion of the trigger, the said pivotal mounting of said gun serving to limit the raising of the rear end of the gun to an amount such that the magazine slopes downward slightly toward the rear end even though the magazine is at an upward angle to the barrel.

9. In combination, a stationary gun mounting, and a gun having its muzzle end pivotally mounted by said gun mounting, said mounting including a bottom surface sloping downward toward the muzzle end of the gun in order to feed pellets to the gun, said gun having a straight barrel extending substantially parallel to the top of the gun, a magazine disposed alongside the barrel for receiving and supplying -a series of pellets singly to said 1 barrel, said magazine forming a part `of and being movable with said gun, said magazine being open at its forward end near the muzzle end of the gun and communicating at its rear end with the rear end of the barrel, a plunger and actuating spring therefor disposed behind the rear end of the barrel for ejecting a pellet through said barrel, said plunger having a collar, a slidable one-piece trigger plate comprising a trigger portion and a sear and a cam and a blade all of which are immovable relative to one another, said sear lbeing at the top of said plate for cooperating with said collar to pull said plunger back against the force of the plunger spring to a point behind the rearmost pellet in the magazine, said blade being so disposed as to nish moving a pellet from the rear end of the magazine into the barrel and then blocking Cil the opening between said magazine and barrel, and said cam depending from the rear end of said plate for bearing against an inside -part of the pistol for tilting said plate bodily downward to disengage the sear from the col-l lar near the end of the rearward motion of the trigger, and a trigger spring for normally urging the trigger plate bodily forward, the said pivotal mounting of said gun serving to limit the raising of the rear end of the gun to an amount such that the magazine slopes downward slightly toward the rear end.

10. In combination, a stationary gun mounting, and a gun having its muzzle end pivotally mounted by said gun mounting, said mounting including a bottom surface sloping downward toward the muzzle end of the gun in order to feed pellets to the gun, said gun having a straight barrel extending substantially parallel to the top of the gun, a magazine for receiving and supplying a series of pellets singly to said barrel, said magazine forming a part of and being movable with said gun, said magazine being open at its forward end and communicating at its rear end with the rear end of the barrel, said magazine and barrel being disposed side by side when viewed in plan but at an angle when viewed in elevation, said angle being such that the muzzle end of the magazine is below the barrel while the rear end of the maga4 zine is alongside of and open sidewardly to the barrel to feed pellets to the barrel, a plunger and actuating spring therefor disposed behind the rear end of the barrel for ejecting a pellet through said barrel, said plunger having a collar, a slidable one-piece trigger plate comprising a trigger portion and a sear and a cam and a blade all of which are immovable relative to one another, said sear being at the top of said plate for cooperating with said collar to pull said plunger back against the force of the plunger spring to a point behind the rearmost pellet in the magazine, said blade being so disposed as to finish moving a pellet from the rear end of the magazine into the barrel and for then blocking the opening between said magazine and barrel, and said cam depending from the rear end of said plate for bearing against an inside part of the gun for tilting said plate bodily downward to disengage the sear from the collar near the end of the rearward motion of the trigger, and a trigger spring for normally urging the trigger plate bodily forward, the said pivotal mounting of said gun serving `to limit the raising of the rear end of the gun to an amount such that the magazine slopes downward slightly toward the rear end even though the magazine is at an upward angle `to the barrel.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,454,947 Bechtol et al May l5, 1923 1,480,344 Bowman Jan. 8, 1924 1,551,858 Tratsch Sept. 1, 1925 2,109,860 Dahlstorm et al. Mar. 1, 1938 2,458,828 Boese Jan. 11, 1949 2,713,338 Abagotf July 19, 1955 2,759,924 Tigrett Aug. 21, 1956 

